Document FR 2 420 456 discloses using an inflatable protective cushion at the front of a railway vehicle to dampen shock during impact with a human being or any other obstacle. However, when the direction of impact is not perpendicular to the tangential plane of the inflatable element, such a large-volume inflatable cushion has the drawback of deforming in uncontrolled manner and can slide laterally relative to the front face of the vehicle, possibly sliding past the impact zone without providing its damping function.
It is known from document FR 2 764 854 to remedy that drawback by using a protective device including a plurality of inflatable elements disposed side-by-side and having a general shape that enables them to interfit laterally with both adjacent inflatable elements. The inflatable elements that are not directly subjected to the impact thus block deformation of the inflatable element(s) that are directly subjected to the impact and prevent the inflatable elements from moving out of the way. However, such a device has the drawback of being complex to implement.
The object of the present invention is thus to propose a device for protecting a vehicle against impact, the device comprising an inflatable element which has good lateral stability against impact, in such a manner as to prevent the inflatable element from moving laterally when the direction of impact is not perpendicular to the tangential plane of the inflatable element, and which is simple and cheap to make.
The invention provides a device for protecting against impacts, the device comprising an inflatable element presenting, once inflated, a bearing surface in contact with the region of the vehicle to be protected, and an impact surface designed to receive the impact directly.
In the invention, the inflatable element includes localized connection elements connecting holding points of the impact surface with fastening points of the bearing surface.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the fastening points are disposed on the bearing surface in such a manner that the connection elements slope relative to the normal at the bearing surface.
According to yet another characteristic of the invention, a plurality of fastening points, spaced apart over the bearing surface, are connected by connection elements to the same holding point, or to a plurality of holding points that are close to one another.